Wheels upon Wheels
by Angel of Snapdragons
Summary: [SI] The trials of a man lost in a world where the Breaking draws near...
1. Arrival

Wheels upon Wheels

Chapter 1 :Arrival

Disclaimer : Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan, and no one else. This story may not be used for profit by anybody, not even me.

* * *

In my sleep, I moved around trying to get in a more comfortable position. I absently knocked my empty coke bottle on the ground, then left my arm dangling in the grass, more in comfort in my new position.

It took more than a few seconds from my sleep-clouded mind to react to the new stimuli, but it did eventually get me to react.

'Wait a minute… Grass ?'

I shot up at that point, also realizing that I couldn't hear the boring voice of my psychology teacher, or that the usual clatter of class was replaced by the song of forest life. I had been resting on a large and somewhat flat rock, believing it to be my school desk.

I figured out with a quick look around that I wasn't even in the same country, as the climate could tell in a second. It had been winter and full of snow at home, while my new location was as temperate as summer.

After a minute of thinking, I came up with three possible conclusions : one, I had been somehow teleported a large distance south, two, I had gone back in time more then five hundred years, or three, I was in a completely different world.

Among these I pinned my hopes on number one as, in that case, I could probably buy at least a phone call to my parents, and get help. The other two options meant no outer help was available.

I quickly gathered everything, making a quick mental list of all my possessions : winter coat, schoolbag, school notes, even the empty coke bottle. I quickly realized that everything I owned in that fateful class had made the trip with me. I put everything in my schoolbag, as the climate was way too hot for me to be wearing my coat, and because I wouldn't know what could be useful or not.

I choose a direction and started walking, hoping to get out of this forest, and into civilization, soon.


	2. Caeral

Wheels upon Wheels

Chapter 2 :Caeral

Disclaimer : Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan, and no one else. This story may not be used for profit by anybody, not even me.

* * *

The first three days were the worst. 

I probably wouldn't have made it out of the forest if I hadn't found a spring near noon on the second day. That, and the empty coke bottle I carried, allowed me to have enough water to survive. That didn't make it fun, however.

Food was another problem. As I lived in a city all my life, my hunting skills were, at best, non-existant. I chewed a few leaves and savored the rare berries I found. It wasn't enough, but it had to do. I tried not to think of the food I could've had at home with the now-useless money I had in my possession, but that was a lost cause. I came back to that thought every half-hour, grumbling and generally feeling bad.

I slept during both nights in a tree, as to protect myself from predators. Since I didn't know in what world I was, I wasn't sure if it would help, but it was a comfort just the same. I just hoped I wasn't in some RPG, as most wandering creature could kick the ass of an unarmed human like me quite easily. Truth to be told, I didn't sleep that well those nights.

When near dawn on the third day I broke out of the forest, I was overjoyed. Plains were easier travel than forests (less rocks and roots). Also, since I could see to the horizon for the first time since my arrival, I could also spot cities and roads at a distace. That was how, as the sun was falling on my third day of walking, I entered a farm.

It's inhabitants were luckily friendly enough to give me a meal and a chance to sleep in their stable. After sleeping twice against the bark of a tree, a stable full of hay seemed more than nice. My bed at home felt like paradise lost, now.

The meal, soup, bread and cheese (And I hate cheese)tasted very good after the last two days. The man of the house, and his children, kept asking questions. I told them I was a traveler from up north that got lost in the woods. They seemed to believe that. The father, a stout man by the name of Faeris, Told me that the closest city was Caeral,one of the waypoints on the road between the capital, Caemlyn, and Tar Valon. Caeral and Caemlyn I didn't know or remember, but Tar Valon rang some bells. Nothing concrete yet, tough.

"Have you heard the rumors about the False Dragon, Logain ?" That changed everything.

False Dragons and Logain meant the Wheel of Time world, and that I knew. Tar Valon was the home of the White Tower, that flashed back too.

Being in the Wheel of Time world was a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. Good, because I knew about some of it, having read the first five books. I could also be of use in that world, the true Dragon would need help soon. On the other side, it was pretty bad as that world was more than dangerous. War was coming, and people got killed pretty easily in wars. Not to mention the darkfiends or the Forsaken, of course.

I listened to all he had to tell me about Logain, as to situate myself in the timeline. From what I gathered, we were somewhere in the first book, before Logain's capture. That meant I had some time before I could go to Rand to help. I'd at least have time to prepare.

In exchange for his kindness, I decided to tell stories to his children. Actually, modified stories of my world. The tales of Harry Sedai, a channeler from the the past age, and his battles with the dreadlord Voldemort. The story of Ranma, a young man cursed to turn into a girl by Aes Sedai magic, that was sworn to be a warder from birth. The children loved it, and even the adults laughed at some of the situations.

When I fell asleep that night, I was pretty happy about my new life. It would be less boring than my old one, at least.

* * *

I woke up at being munched on by a cow, which is not the best feeling in the world. I left early somewhen after dawn, to make sure I would reach the city before dusk. 

As I walked towards the road that would lead me to Caeral, I swore that I would pay that family back for it's hospitality. In my bag was two apples, gracious gifts for the long road ahead, that I felt I didn't deserve.

The climate was fair and the ground flat, and I made good enough time in these conditions. I reached the road before midday, I think. I then turned south, following the trails left by the frequent passage of caravans.

One of the signs such passage made me stop and gape. On the sides of the road, near the first trees of Braem wood, lay a dozen dead men.

I could get these men were thieves, by the looks of their clothes and their weapons, but that wasn't what stopped me. It was a first for me to see true death, and the calm inside me scared me. I knew that these people had probably not been the most upstanding of citizens, and that they were just unknown strangers, but I personnally though that I should have more reaction than the cold I felt inside.

I felt bad at what I did, but loated the bodies anyway. I would need food and gold, not to mention clothes that were less conspicious than mine, and that was the only way I could think of. I said a quick prayer for each of them and placed them as if they were sleeping, only to leesen my guilt some. It'd have buried them, but I still had a long road to do today, and only one apple for that time, and no shovel to help. I added them to the list of debts I had on this world, even if their names I did not know.

That was how, an hour or so before sundown, I arrived in Caeral with a dozen silver and two dozen copper in the pocket of faded gray birches matching a loose blue-grey shirt.

* * *

Caeral was a town of medium size, with many shops of various kind doting the main road. I found a room in one of the two inns there, at a place named "The Fair Lady", and got my second full meal in this world down my stomach. I retreated to my rooms early, as to plan. 

The planning I had in mind had many phases. First up was a full inventory of everything I had, down to the smallest details. I'd probably need every scrap I had.

**Inventory**

-Winter coat.  
-Winter gloves.  
-Winter bandanna.  
-Discman with 2 empty batteries.  
-2 music cds.  
-2 disquettes.  
-Home keys.  
-Empty Coke bottle.  
-Glasses.  
-Watch.  
-Schoolbag.  
-Agenda.  
-Harry Potter fanfic (printed).  
-Statistic schoolbook.  
-A lot of schoolwork andhomework.  
-BESM handbook.  
-4 dice.  
-3 pads of paper.  
-5 pens (1 black ink, 2 silver, 2 black).  
-Liquid paper correction pen.  
-72,95 in canadian dollars.  
-ID cards in masse.  
-The clothes from my world.  
-The clothes I was wearing now.

I noted everything on one sheet of paper, careful not to spill any ink as I could buy refills easily now. The first part was done.

Second part was planning exactly what I was to do. I wasn't gonna stay in this world doing nothing while I could help. The Dragon would need all the help he could get. However, approching him was likely going to be difficult, as at this time he hasn't accepted his destiny yet and finding reasons to travel with his (and especially Moiraine) would be difficult if not impossible. As I let idea bounce in my head, wether or not to meet him in Caemlyn at the parade, or to wait until he proclaimed himself, I roll my dice around to occupy my hands.

6,6.

On one hand, meeting him at the earliest moment would mean being able to help the most.

6,6.

Also, he's seperated from Moiraine when he enters Caemlyn, so that's another advantage.

6,6,6.

On the other hand, approching his when he's the Dragon Reborn would be easier, as he would need people working for him. Getting to Tear might be a problem, though.

6,6,6.

Helping him at Falme might also be an idea. Getting there would still be a problem, but being close to Min and Egwene would be a good advantage.

6,6,6...

After my fifteenth throw, I finally realized how the dice had turned out. I was not usually a naturally lucky person, so it was something new.

As a trial, I thought of the only dice game, 421, I knew, and threw the dice three times in a row.

4,2,1. 4,2,1. 4,2,1.

That at least prouved one of the things I had thought about during my long walk to Caeral. I was Ta'veren. It didn't surprise me that much, as the probability of a non-ta'veren to be warped from another world to the world of Wheel of Time seemed pretty much inexistant. It did changes things in my planning, though. I had a way to make enough money to do things now. I smirked.

"Well, time to make some money !" I said to myself, walking down the inn to find someone willing to bet.

* * *

It was somewhere near midnight when I came back to my room. My pockets were full to bursting with coins I had won from caravan guards and merchants. I felt a little guilty as I was near robbing them, but there wasn't any other choice, really. 

More importantly, during my time playing, I had a plan.

And within two weeks, I'd been in Caemlyn.


	3. The road to Caemlyn

Wheels upon Wheels

Chapter 3 : The road to Caemlyn

Disclaimer : Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan, and no one else. This story may not be used for profit by anybody, not even me.

* * *

The Braem Road was, I learned one of the main trade arteries of Andor. Since it linked the capital with the great city of Tar Valon, caravans came and went at a regular pace. It was in one of those caravans I was currently going to Caemlyn.

Two night of betting had given me more than enough coin to buy me a spot in the most guarded caravan that had stopped in Caeral before going to Caemlyn. After three days of riding, it was due there before midday tomorrow.

Caravan time is a slow and bumpy time, whose only use I found was planning. As I had a lot of that to do, it wasn't that bad, really. The bumpy part was getting on my nerves, though.

The problem with my plans was my limited means. I could probably get in Fal Dara before the Amyrlin ever does, but I doubt anything I could do could stop the Horn from being stolen. It was same thing just about everywhere : there was little a simple human like me could do.

Another problem was that what I knew was only helpful until I changed something, especially if that thing was important. If, like I said, I stopped the Horn from being stolen, everything else that happened in the books after would change… as would my utility.

That's what I was currently thinking about. With a pad of sheets and a pen in my hands, I was trying to list everywhere I could help in the Wheel of Time world. There wasn't much written, unfortunately.

The Black Ajah  
Logain  
The Amyrlin Seat  
Morgase

And most of these ideas where mutually exclusive. For example helping Logain escape and, by doing so, keeping him a channeler might very well doom the Amyrlin Seat to exile, only one that she would not survive.

My other ideas were lacking a crucial element from my part : Power. I just wasn't powerful enough. I might very well know where I could find half of the Forsaken, but that was useless when you weren't able, at the very least, to shoot an arrow that could kill them.

Getting the information about the Forsaken to Rand was pointless, also. Rand, at this point in the story, couldn't and wouldn't do anything about it, and, by the time he would, it would be too late to actually prevent the worse things from happening.

It was just so…

The wagon I was in halted suddenly, and I found myself face first in my bag. It didn't take me long to get back up and outside, and what welcomed me there was battle.

It seemed that a bandit gang had decided to try to claim ownership of the caravan, by force. Luckily, for me and my side, I hadn't chosen this caravan for nothing.

The thieves were falling rapidly under continuous bow fire.

As I watched a man beside me fall with an arrow in the eye, I was starting to ask myself if my transport to this world didn't have other effects than those I knew. Should I be retching at this sight ? Was there something wrong with me ?

The battle ended quickly in the advantage of the caravan guards, as most of the thieves in the assault saw that the odds were not in their favor, and quickly retreated to the cover of the forest. A few didn't, but those were quickly captured or killed.

Those captured were brought before the caravan master for their punishment. I followed, just to see what kind of law I could expect in this kind of place. I didn't like the smile the master wore, though.

Their 'trial', and I use the word loosely, was quick and without point. The chief told them cheerful they were going to die slowly, and that their corpse would be left for the crows to feed on. He then playfully described how they were worthless to society and that the world would be better without them.

That mockery of justice disgusted me more than the fight had. It was obvious that the caravan master was going to enjoy making them suffer. I had expected that they would be brought to Caemlyn for judgment or, at worse, quickly beheaded for killing members of the caravan. As I watch the leader of the caravan bring out instruments that could easily be recognized as implements of torture, my conscience had enough.

I brought the caravan leader to the side and began dealing with him, quickly. My pleas to get them imprisoned in Caemlyn were useless, and everything failed until I offered to buy them off his hands. The smile the man gave me I disliked, but I saw no other choice.

There was another reason why I wanted these people alive. A debt. Yes, that debt to those nameless thieves whose corpses I had looted. That was my way to pay back for that sin, so to speak.

Their lives cost me a pretty penny, and I walked back from the deal with half as much money, but money never meant anything to me, especially now. I gave each thief three gold coins and sent them on their way, telling them to start anew with the money I gave them. One did ask why I was doing this. I said a debt and left it at that. They all fled pretty quickly after that.

The rest of the day took a long time to pass. All the guards were giving me weird looks, and I wondered if I would be finishing this travel with them or be kicked out soon. I continually asked myself if doing what I did had been a good idea. Luckily, none of the guards seemed the take the matter in their own hands and I fell asleep without one threat being said to my face.

* * *

I was shaken up awake sometime during the night, judging by the sky outside. It took me a few minutes to recognize the person waking me me.

It was one of the thieves, specifically the one who had asked why.

My eyes widened the moment my brain made the connection and I instinctually scrambled backward before catching myself. I mustn't show fear, I said to myself in my mind. That would only give him more power.

"What do you want ?" I tried to keep fear out of my voice, but I think some bled in anyway.

"I think you should leave." He replied. "I heard two different groups speaking of killing you and taking your gold. You're not safe here. I'll help. The back guard's asleep, so sneaking off is not too tough."

The words didn't surprise me, that is until my mind hit the 'I'll help' line. I had half expected the caravan to turn against me after my generosity, but I hadn't expected anything good to come out of it.

"Why are you helping me ?" I had to ask.

"So said you paid for our freedom because of a debt, right ?" I nodded. "Then this is my debt to you. I owe you my life."

"So you're helping me escape to pay that debt ?"

"An escape isn't worth that much." He smiled. "Those three gold coin should do."

I was about to reply, but he cut me off. "If you want to escape, we better go quick before someone realizes that that guard is asleep and wakes him up. We can't stand talking like this all night."

That decided me and, less than five minutes later, we were both out of the caravan for good.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later he led me to two horses tied off in the forest. He quickly untied them and led one to me.

"You can ride ? 'Cause if you can, we'll be in an inn outside Caemlyn before dawn."

I had learned to ride when I was young, truly, but it seemed so far ago that I wasn't sure I could still do it. Still, to be in Caemlyn the quickest, there was only one answer :

"I'll manage."

With that he jumped on his own horse and led the way at a quick pace.

* * *

Note to self : do not ride a horse with a full schoolbag.

That's what I was saying to myself at dawn, when we entered Caemlyn. I was sore from I don't know how many places, and tired to boot. My mood got worse quickly as the first three inns we visited were full.

In the fourth, a small inn near the walls called the "Horseman's Rest", we finally managed to get the last room open, at the cost of a gold coin. Luckily, the room had two beds.

I quickly gave a coin to the stableboy and, as soon as the master of the inn had left after showing us our room, I jumped in the bed, sleepy as a bear in winter.

"Wake up me up as soon as you do." I said to my companion while yawning. Then I fell asleep on the spot.


	4. Caemlyn

Wheels upon Wheels

Chapter 4 : Caemlyn

Disclaimer : Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan, and no one else. This story may not be used for profit by anybody, not even me.

* * *

After the physically and mentally exhausting day I had, whatever sleep I had was fitful and not very reposing. I woke up still tired and, realizing that I would not be getting back to sleep, got out of the bed and washed my face to clean my mind of the last cobwebs of sleep. 

A look confirmed what I thought : The thief I had saved was still asleep. I realized at that moment that I didn't even know his name.

I momentarily thought about waking him, but decided that his day hadn't been much more calm than mine and that he could use his sleep.

I found downstairs that it was 'an hour or so before midday' and that breakfast was pea soup with bread and cheese. I really needed a way to get my watch back to normal time, as it had been off since the beginning.

I went back up and ate it all, even the cheese, which I washed off with a lot of water. I passed the time planning and noting everything I could recall from the books. The information was very disjointed, however.

My companion woke up right after the innkeeper called for dinner. I told him to go get it for both of us, and that we had to talk.

He came back with chicken and carrots, which suited me just fine. After giving me my plate, sat down on his bed with an inquiring look in his eyes.

"So, what do you need to talk about ?"

"First, name."

"Oh," he looked sheepish for an instant before answering. "Shevat Avar."

"Ok, so…"

He interrupted me with a raised hand. "And yours ?"

It was my turn to look sheepish, but he had point. More than one, I realized, as my name would stand out horribly in this world. It was surprising that I hadn't had to tell it before now.

"Can you read ?"

"A little."

I gave him my most recent identity card, which had my name written on it in big letters. He seemed surprised at it until I pointed at it. "Here it is."

He seemed to struggle for a while before he answered "How is that even pronounced ?"

"Exactly my point." He didn't seem to get it. "I'll need a new name which is less conspicuous."

We both gave a few suggestions, which ended up with my name being Stephen Adjani. The Stephen came from me, obviously, as he had been a character in one of the role-playing games I had played. Adjani came from him, the family name of someone he used to know.

I then had him tell me about his life while we ate. Turns out he's from Caemlyn. An orphan, raised on the streets. Kept stealing to feed himself which, when he got old enough, drew the attention of the local thieves guild. He had, by his words, an altercation with them, and he was forced to flee the city. Ended up in Caeral where, due to the city being smaller, stealing became more and more difficult. Got finally recruited by a gang raiding caravans, and the rest I already knew…

He looked guilty during the whole telling, but I didn't mind him having been a thief all his life. I never had to steal for my food, but I know for sure that when it's been two days since you've last ate, a lot of moral concerns become moot. During the first three days in this world, while I was starving and lacking water, I'm pretty sure I would have stolen if that would have allowed me to live longer.

As we were finishing our meals came the big question :

"So, Shevat, what are you going to do now"

At that question, he dropped his knife and looked at me directly with his blue-grey eyes. "I owe you my life. I am yours to command." He replied very seriously, as to make sure I believed him.

"I wouldn't force you to follow me."

"I am here of my own free will."

"You don't know what you're getting into."

"Tell me."

I took a deep breath then. My mind was telling me that having him with me could only help, but my soul objected in bringing other people with me in something that was almost certain to kill me and everyone with me.

"The Dragon is reborn." I said, gravely. He gave a shudder of something I think was fear, but I continued anyway. "The final battle approaches. I plan to help the True Dragon in any way I can. Going with me means dealing with Trollocs, darkfiends and very probably the Forsaken. My way means a death near certain to those who follow me. Can you deal with that ?" I stood, looking down (not much) on his to emphasize my point.

He seemed to think about it for an instant, then turned to me with a smile that was bizarre on his scarred face. "I hope the Dragon you speak of isn't Logain 'cause…"

"No, I wasn't talking about Logain Ablar, who's been captured by the Aes Sedai and will be paraded in Caemlyn in a month or so. It's not Taim in Saldea or that other False Dragon that's shown himself I don't remember where. The True Dragon hasn't proclaimed himself yet."

"I didn't know they were going to parade Logain here."

"I don't know if it has been planned as of this moment but I know that it will happen."

"Foretelling ?" He asked, surprised and a little fearful, I think.

"Not exactly but something like that."

I finished what was left of my now-cold dinner while Shevat seemed to be thinking about what I said. "So what do we do now ?"

"I make money and we plan. We've got until Logain gets here to find a way to spring him loose."

"Why ?"

"I'll need the help of a channeler," Shevat shuddered again. It seemed he was afraid of channelers, for some reason. "And one that I know isn't a darkfiend. Logain's the only one I'm sure about."

"How come ?"

"'Cause, If we do nothing, he's gonna end up stilled" I answered. "And I know the Black Ajah wouldn't have let him be stilled if he was sworn to the Dark One."

"The Black…"

"Yes they exist, and I intent to make sure they get revealed as soon as I can get my hands on an Aes Sedai."

Shevat went silent with that. I was a lot to take for someone who had been a somewhat normal person the day before.

"You can still get out, if you want ?" I had to say it. I wouldn't have him if he wasn't sure of himself.

That brought out a smile out of him. "No chance. You don't get two chances to be part of something that big. I'm in."

I couldn't help but smile at that. His presence would be a great help, as my knowledge of this world was limited to the books. His practical knowledge would be indispensable for me to survive.

"What did you mean by make money ?" He asked, thinking. I just could pass that opportunity.

"Just never bet against me." I answered, smiling, as I jumped back in my bed. "Wake me up when we're supposed to check out, ok ?"

"Ok."

* * *

Until check out turned out to be a two-hours nap that was infinitely more restful than last night's sleep. I then had Shevat lead me to the Queen's Blessing, where we rented a room for the week. 

Why the Queen's Blessing ? Just because I remembered it. I remember that the innkeeper (whose name I didn't remember until he introduced himself) could be trusted. It wasn't until we were safely installed in our room that I could be tempting fate by simply being in the same inn as the Dragon would be. I decided that I would deal with it as it came.

The next three days passed mainly with betting and shopping. Shevat was simply astonished at my luck, and at the amounts of money that I racked in. During the first night, I nearly managed to make more than twice the coin I got during my whole stay in Caeral. Big cities meant big money, it seemed.

The shopping part occupied our days, as we prepared for what we would have to do. As Logain was probably going to be hosted in the dungeons, My main idea to spring him out was a soporific (or as I had to explain Shevat, sleeping) gas. We would smoke the place out and bail him out. Not the best idea, I knew, but I couldn't remember for the life of me the something root that kept people from channeling. Sleep was the best alternate plan.

Shopping meant Shevat leading me around Caemlyn as I pointed out things we would need or want in our excursions. Swords, knives, ropes, dried foods, a sewing kit, bandages and the works. We also had a horse packed and ready for Logain. The only problem was the soporific, which we had no clue how to find. Shevat, unfortunately, knew nothing of a healer's work, and my knowledge of pharmaceuticals was feeble at best.

That shopping trip was also my first experience with a real medieval city. Alive was the only word I could use. I had though that Montreal was a living city, but it didn't hold a candle to Caemlyn. It was like being at a convention all over again. You had to push around to move while in the main streets, and only the thin and dark alleys were empty of people at any time. We traveled through more than a few of these in those three days, and were always left alone by their inhabitants.

Nothing worthwhile really happened until our fourth day in Caemlyn. It was a little after dinner and the streets were as full as ever. It was Shevat who noticed first.

"We're being followed." His voice was cold and silent, and scared me a little.

I had had a bad feeling ever since I had gotten up that day, and it peaked at those words. I saw one of the persons he was talking about, a tall blond man with a trimmed beard. He was very obviously looking for someone.

"How long ?"

"More than an hour."

"What do you suggest ?"

"We continue as we have been doing and get back to our hotel room. We'll need to get out of the Queen's Blessing silently and find a new place."

"Ok."

We walked on, trying to act as inconspicuous as we could. I was unfortunately stopped by Shevat's hand on my shoulder.

"Change of plans."

"Why ?"

"Look near the cart in front of the tailor's shop."

I looked, and quickly found what he was talking about. Two people, mercenaries by the look of them, who seemed to be waiting for something. Us, quite probably.

"I see."

"There are others on the other side of the street."

I did not look. I didn't, it was evident it was true. Someone was putting a lot of manpower to stalk us, at the very least. It did not make me comfortable in the least.

"So ?"

"Follow me quickly, we're going to run through the alleys."

And we ran. I had always made sure to follow Shevat closely while we were in the alleys, as it was a veritable maze. I was glad we hadn't found or bought anything, as the extra weight would surelyslow us down.

However, when Shevat suddenly stopped, I had no choice but to follow suit. I realized the problem at once : we had been had. There was three armed men blocking our way. I turned around to find what I knew I'd find : Two people, swords at the ready, closing the trap. We were struck between five men and two bizarrely partially molten stone walls.

We quickly took our swords out, both sure that they wouldn't change the balance of the battle. We'd at least die fighting.

"Recognize the place ?" The man in the center said, obviously the leader. He was smiling and, with the huge burn mark on his face, it made look more cruel than anything I'd ever seen.

Shevat did not look around, as he was intent on the burned man. I caught on quickly : He had once spoken about an 'altercation' with members of the thieves guild, and that was what he was talking about. The guild were obviously using this place as an execution ground for undesirables. I moved to Shevat's back, facing those who had come after us.

"I should have made sure you were dead last time." Shevat's voice was the coldest I had ever heard it, and he was sweating profusely.

"You should never have come back here. Though I'm glad you did : I can settle one score and capture the cheater. I don't know how he does it, but I'm sure we'll find a use for him." I was glad to be back to back to Shevat at that moment. The man's smile I would not want to have directed at me.

"It's funny, but I think my burn'll bother me less from now on."

My mind came up with a blank on that one, but I had to refocus less than a second later has the men charged at me. I put myself on their left sides, as both were right-handed, but that availed me not. It was obvious that they were more experienced than me, and everything that I shot at them ended up useless. The best I managed was a full power side slash to the stomach, which cost me that battle. The man was wearing chain mail, so my attack ended up being blunted, and my other foe kicked the back of ankle, which gave me limited flight. I screamed in pain as I landed on my back with a good blow to my head, and my eyes clouded for more than an instant.

I heard another scream come from Shevat a second later, then an unexplained feeling of heat. I shook my head to clear my eyes. It worked, though I could have done with the massive head pain. I was standing unsteadily a moment later, hoping beyond hope to help in the battle, before realizing that it was over.

It was as if a dozen people with flamethrowers had decided to hose the place at waist level. The walls were red, and even more molten then they had been a minute before. The thieves that would had been attacking us were burning corpses whose smell was making me sick. My pained mind tried to reach for a proper conclusion, and it was Shevat's sight that clinched into.

Not that Shevat looked physically any different : apart from a few scratches on his side and arms, he looked exactly the same. It was an aura of power he had. It wasn't visible, no, it was just a feeling in the back of your head, a chill down your spine, the hairs down your back, standing on end.

It was as if he was plugged on power.

When that metaphor hit, I instantly realized what it was. Saidin. The One Power. He could channel.

Before my mind could being altering my plans to fit that new fact in it, I realized something in his eyes. Fear. He was afraid. Whether it was of himself or of something else, it wasn't important at the moment. I needed to do something.

I stepped over a half-molten sword to clap him in the back. He flinched, as if he hadn't heard me coming. He was that way out of it.

"So," I pointed down the alley. "Which way now ?" I tried to keep my tone as normal as I could, as to say that nothing important had happened. I think I did well enough.

He seemed to snap out of it, and started running down the alley once more. I followed, a thin smile upon my face.

* * *

We ran all the way to our room in the Queen's Blessing. As soon as the door was closed behind us, Shevat fell his knees before me. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't want you to mistrust me. I can't control it. I'm afraid of it." He was babbling. "Please forgive me. I'm not crazy. I just…"

I silenced him with a look and an hand.

"I don't mind." It wasn't really true, but it wasn't like he was thinking. "It's not like I told you everything about me. Sure it's not like I didn't want to know either, but I can understand how you feel. I don't think you're crazy" He finally started to relax. "In fact, it helps quite a lot in some way." I handed him my hand. "I trust you," I really did, even though he hadn't told me that important fact. "do you trust me ?"

It took a while, but he finally took my offered hand. I dragged him back up to look at him in the eyes.

"I'm going to ask something personal now, so please don't be offended. Can you draw it willingly ?"

"No." He looked ashamed at that for some reason.

"Did you ever try ?"

"No." He looked even more down with that one.

"Ok… Think you could try to learn ?"

"Why ?"

I took a deep breath. "To do the best I can do, I'd need be to a channeler."

"You can't become a channeler"

"You can, I think, but to do so you need to get to Rhuidean."

"Rhuidean ?"

"In the Aiel Waste."

"Impossible."

"Possible, but I'd need a channeler to get there."

"Why ?"

"I'd use a portal stone, which moves people from place to place. It needs a channeler to activate it."

"Ok."

"I won't force you to come with me, or even to channel to use the portal stone. I'm not like that. However…"

"No need. I keep my promises." He squared his shoulders. "I'm your man."

"Welcome aboard."


	5. Rhuidean

Wheels upon Wheels

Chapter 5 : Rhuidean

Disclaimer : Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan, and no one else. This story may not be used for profit by anybody, not even me.

* * *

The battle with the thieves' guild changed quite a few things. First, Shevat and I moved out of our room at the Queen's Blessing the very same day, taking another room at The White Queen, an inn on the opposite side of the city. Second, we restrained our moving around in case the guild wanted another rematch. 

The third thing was unexpected. Two days after our moving out of the Queen's Blessing, an invitation had come for me. From a nobleman. To a game that night.

It seemed more than the thieves' guild had noticed my luck.

"Will you go ?" Shevat asked, once we were alone in our room.

"I'm still debating." And I was. Noblemen would mean more money, which was a good thing. It also meant people higher in the food chain, which might take offence at being beaten by a 'lesser being'. A definite bad thing.

"What do you think ?" I asked, hoping for a good opinion. He knew this world more than me, anyway.

He scratched the two days worth of stubble he had while thinking. "I can't see any bad come out of it. I would give you a new source of information." He replied.

Information was something I needed very much. I knew that Logain would be paraded here and I still planned on springing him out, but had no actual date on when that event would happen. Shevat was right. Nobles would be the first to know. And, as I had learned, people talked around a card game. A lot.

"Then I'll be going". And that was that.

Going, unfortunately, meant shopping first. My clothes were hardly decent for anything other than a peasant, and that was no way to be accepted in that circle. It took us two hours in four different tailor's shops to finally find something of my size that we could have today. It was a green-embroidered black coat with matching pants. It cost me a pretty penny, all right.

I ordered other clothes of the same design made by that tailor, and ended up spending half of what I owned on clothes. Which was a lot. Hopefully my luck would not choose today to run off.

For all the planning I made in my mind in preparation of meeting those nobles, the actual meeting was pretty anti-climatic. They accepted me at the gaming table in much the same way you would get in a game in a tavern. And didn't bat an eyelid at the fact that I wasn't noble.

And they talked. Boy did they talk ! What this house planned against this other house, this noble courting that lady, this person having an affair behind his wife's back. I barely remembered a few names and houses, and those were the houses of my fellow players. Yves, of House Ruen. Goerin, of House Selvar. Lorian, of House Caral. And Hijil, of House Juin. I didn't know the importance of these Houses, but I would find out.

They asked questions, too. Luckily, I had rehearsed that part well in my mind. I was born in the Borderlands, near Shienar, in a village whose name I invented. I was lowborn but rose, making money trading first in the borderlands, then in Caerhien and in the Aiel Waste. I was lucky at that point I had read the books, for they quizzed me on Aiel for the better half of the game.

I left quite happy, with an extended invitation to come whenever I could, and twice as much gold as I had spent for clothes. A good investment, then.

The next four days passed quickly, but fruitfully. I made use of my open invitation every night, and always came back with more gold than the day before. I was also starting to find my way in the mire that was Caemlyn's politics, meaning that I could remember most of the times something about the house they were talking about.

Houses weren't the only words on their tongues. The hunt for the horn was on, and that subject was the center of much speculation. I stayed with mine that it was in some place of the Age of Legends, but each had his own opinion. I nearly choked when Lorian said in was in the Blight, but luckily, they took that as surprise. No one from the Borderlands would think that the horn might be in the Blight, after all.

My days, them, were home to planning and shopping. And waiting. Each day I spent gold, each day I thought and rethought my plans, but waiting was the same. Always the same.

On his side, Shevat was looking for a Portal Stone. He went from bar to bar, asking mercenaries, farmers, and whoever might hear about a pillar engraved with symbols all over. And no result came.

So I waited.

* * *

I stepped in Yves mansion house as the sun came down, saluting the guards on the way. They were expecting me, as always, and were getting used to my presence at night. One of them guided me, as one always did, towards the gaming table. The game was already started, as it always was. As soon as I was no longer standing, however I noticed their excitation. 

"What is it, Hijil ?" He was the most excited, by far. "Did Fulel have an hunting accident, and his heir gone in the night." Fulel was of House Pogammal, and a bitter rival of the lord of House Juin. And he had spoken of him hopefully having an accident at least twice the day before.

"No, though I would wish it were so." The man said, smiling. "You've not heard the news, I would venture ?"

"No, I did not." I answered, keeping my speech polite out of habit. "What news ?" I was shaking inside.

"Logain, my friend." Yves put forward, while passing out cards. "They'll be parading him in this very city, and not two weeks from now."

I pretended to be interested, and hopefully pulled it of, while I was raging inside. Logain would be here in less than 14 days, and I was far from being ready. I had to get to the waste and back. I was running out of time ! I kept playing, though, as if nothing happened.

I was barely breaking even, and my hosts talked of my luck finally waning. I didn't care. I was all I could do not to run back to my inn room, or to get in the search myself.

"He better find it soon." I muttered aloud, oblivious.

"Find what ?"

I focused back to the game, to find that all four lord were looking at me. Oops.

"Nothing much"

"Do tell. It'd be more interesting than my hand, anyway." He made a scowl at his own cards, though that didn't mean anything. The lord of House Selvar was a good bluffer, if anything.

I thought a while, than said to myself 'What the hell'. It's not like they'd kill me on the spot for mentioning it. "It's something a Caerheinnin Lord asked me for." I lied. "He said it was some kind of column, higher than any man, and covered with strangest symbols beside." They all started laughing.

"What ?"

"Why did he ask you for that ?" Yves replied, wheezing.

"He said it'd make a good statue in front of his manor." At that, they all laughed again, and harder.

"Explain." I said, tapping the table. I didn't like where this was going.

It was Goerin who stopped laughing first. "Pitar of House Morraill" he intoned "Thought the very same thing. He had found one, you see, in a village near his estates. Paid the villager whose land it was on a handsome sum for it, and then tried to move it. Tried, and tried hard. He brought hundreds of men, horses and bulls, and tried to make it budge. It didn't. They say he himself was pushing, in the end." They all started laughing again.

"Where is it ?"

"Why would you care?"

"I'd be paid for finding one, that's all" I replied, a smile on my lips. "Maybe Caerheinnin Lords are good at pushing."

They all laughed another round.

* * *

I left at the same time than usual, giving excuses that I would be able to be there for quite a while. In my pocket was a map, graciously given by my host, with the location of the Portal Stone on it. 

Shevat was waiting for me in the White Queen's common room, and it was evident by his posture he hadn't found anything. I quickly motioned him towards our room.

"What ?"

"We leave tomorrow at dawn."

"Where ?"

I handed him the map. The nobles had told me it would be two days by horse, and I believed them. I went back down, intent on telling the innkeeper to have our horses ready for our departure tomorrow.

We were back on track, it seemed.

* * *

We left Caemlyn shortly after dawn, with each of us on horseback with another horse behind dragging our stuff, including all the nobleman-like attire I had. We did good time, cross-country, and we would arrive at the specified village by midday tomorrow. 

We rode in silence with me thinking furiously and Shevat also lost in his thoughts. That is until...

"Why ?" Shevat asked aloud. It wasn't a question and he was more or less talking to himself, but he said it aloud.

"Why what ?"

He realized he had spoken aloud, but still maneuvered his horse closer to mine and continued. "Why do all that ? Go all this way to help the Dragon, even when he hasn't proclaimed himself. With your luck, you could be rich, could probably buy a seat of nobility, and that in the country you chose. Why all those plans ?"

"Well..."

He continued on without hearing me. "And how the hell do you know ? What Foretelling did you have for you to know, that surely, that it would happen the way you foretold. You predicted Logain's capture and parade, I know, but How ?"

I thought an instant, with the former thief staring at me, then decided. He had a right to know.

"Have you ever had the feeling that you weren't important, that you would die and nobody would notice your passing." He nodded. Being an orphan I expected he knew the feeling well. "Well my whole life was like that."

I had held back telling much about me, most making up stuff along the way. I didn't now. I told everything I could remember, everything I could explain about me and my world. I told him about the books, and about what I was planning. The only thing I held back was the contents of the books.

It took the rest of daylight and up until camp was ready for me to finish my tale, and Shevat was very pensive afterward. We both went to sleep in silence, lost in our thoughts.

He was up before me the following morning. I had slept badly. A day on a horse (Something I wasn't yet used to) followed by nightmares about my predicament had made me turn around for most of the night.

Shevat, though, was up and running, and I tried my best to keep up. He said nothing.

He kept silent until the specified village was in sight.

"I'm sorry."

That wasn't what I was expecting. "It's nothing." I answered. "You had a right to know." I smiled. "I was actually expecting you to be gone when I woke up this morning. For you to think I was mad."

He smiled then, his first smile I remembered since quite a while. "Mad or not, you don't get the chance I got twice. I told you." His eyes were serious now. "I'm your man." He extended his hand toward me. "Till death."

I shook that hand. "Till death." I smiled.

* * *

The Portal Stone was in a long-untended field near an abandoned farmhouse. 'It seems the lords had really told the truth about house Morraill' I thought. We made camp as close as we could of the column. 

"So, now what ?"

I turned towards Shevat, with a grave expression with my face. "Now, channeling."

He shivered. I could understand that. He'd been dreading this moment since the time I told him about it, probably.

"Can you grab the source ? I mean, willingly ?"

He shuffled his feet around, looking ashamed. "... not consciously."

That led to us passing the rest of the day in front of that stone. I tried to remember and pass up every scrap of help I could remember from the books, while Shevat tried to grab the source. He didn't get any results, though.

We went to sleep early, and, this time, I rose up from sleep before him. I left him at that, intent on studying and remembering something about the Portal Stone at Rhuidean. 'The Aiel chief with Rand knew of two symbols used for Rhuidean' I thought 'Something about triangles, I think' That didn't help much. Most of the symbols on the bottom half, the half about stones of this world, had some form of triangles. Time for luck, then.

It didn't take much time for Shevat to rise, though he didn't seemed rested. After a quick breakfast, he was trying again.

It did bear fruit, though, after two hours of trying for the void. I felt it the instant he had it, even if I could see no aura like other channelers could. The feeling I had before, the feeling of power, came back suddenly. Shevat was looking at me as if he was struggling to control himself.

"Channel here !" I quickly pointed towards a symbol, one I had chosen during this very morning.

The world blinked.

* * *

Once I got back my balance, I looked around. Not Rhuidean, obviously. The climate was far too cold for that. 

I managed to grab Shevat before he fell to the ground. The feeling for before was gone. I had released the Source. 'Or the Source had released him' I thought.

"Sorry." He said, panting. he was barely holding himself up.

"Why ?"

"Not... Rhuidean..."

I smiled. He thought he had made a mistake, when the mistake was all mine. "Not your fault." I replied, a hand on his shoulder. "Mine. I'm not exactly sure which symbol leads to Rhuidean. You did fine."

He seemed glad at that.

"Will you be able to try again ?"

He nodded, slowly.

"Need a rest ?"

"Can I ?"

"Go ahead."

* * *

And so it went. While Shevat slept I noted every information I could find of the location the Portal Stone on one of the pads I had from my world, right beside a copy of the symbol we had used. 

The rest of the times we tried again, and each time we waited less long for Shevat to hold the Source. We managed to use the stone again before night the same day, and after that we used it more than twice each day.

The locations varied a lot. Quite a few were impossible to really identify, but the rest were. One was near Tar Valon, as we could see the White Tower from the Stone. Another was bordering a river near the Spine of the World.

We kept on.

* * *

I knew the second we appeared, even before my sight had adjusted, that we had arrived in Rhuidean. It was as if a wave of flame had consumed me. The heat was a palpable thing, here. 

I could see Rhuidean, in the distance. A dome of mist in the desert. I raised my head to confirm. A city in the sky. Yup, we were there. It only took us five days.

"It's here, isn't it ?" Shevat said, standing right beside me. He didn't need my help to remain standing, not anymore, not since our fourth Portal Stone.

"Yup."

We gathered our stuff and went down quickly but silently. We didn't want to draw the attention of the Aiel, after all.

The sun was falling when we passed the mist barrier that covered the city. I was glad. The desert is supposed to be artic cold at night. I didn't intend to find out if that was true.

Rhuidean was a wonder, but also something like a jigsaw puzzle. There were missing pieces, uncompleted towers and the like, everywhere. The effect was as if some kind of calamity had killed all the people here at some time during the construction, but had spared everything.

I turned a corner toward the heart of the city, then suddenly, without warning, found myself flying backwards. I hit a wall roughly and found myself seeing stars for a moment.

When my head cleared, I found Shevat being beaten back by an Aiel, or what I supposed an Aiel to be. He was tall, especially for someone on the ground, and muscled like an athlete.

The fight before me was totally one-sided. Shevat had managed to get his sword out, but it availed him not. The Aiel man was beating soundly anyway.

I had to do something...

"STOP !"

Shevat stopped, and that got him a fist in the gut for his trouble. 'Great idea, dumbass' I told myself.

"I invoke the peace of Rhuidean."

'What the ?' I thought the second later.

The words were out of my mouth before I even thought them. 'How did ?' The Aiel man stopped as if frozen, his hand bare inches from the former thief's face. He struggled to calm himself while I was thinking furiously. How did I know that ? I agree that the effect was for the best, but I had completely forgotten about the Peace of Rhuidean before I said those words. I remembered, now, but ?

"Throw down your sword, Shevat."

He did so, reluctantly, mine followed quickly, both at the feet of the flame-haired man. He turned towards me, his eyes full of anger.

"What are you outlanders" he said that word like a curse. "Are doing in the land of the Jenn."

I cast my head for an answer, and spoke the first thing that came to mind. "I come in service of He Who Comes With Dawn."

"You lie." He seemed ready to spring into battle again.

"May I find no water and no shade, and may Sightblinder have my soul should I lie"

That placated the man. I noticed at that time the dragon around his forearm, the symbol of Aiel Clan Chiefs.

"What are you doing, then, in the land of the Jenn."

"I seek no harm to the Aiel traditions. Come, I will show you."

The swords stayed on the ground, forgotten.

* * *

The new Clan Chief introduced himself while we walk towards the heart. He was Ghinla of the White Sand Sept of the Nakai Aiel. We introduced ourselves too, though he didn't seem interested by where we came from. 

Once we were in the center on the city, beside Avendesora, I led Shevat and Ghinla toward the field of Ter'angreal and quickly found the Redstone doorframe I was looking for.

"This is it." I said, pointing at the said door.

"This ?" Ghinla repeated. He spared a quick glance toward the road of column that, I knew, was the trial for future clan chiefs.

"Yes." I went to my packhorse and got my schoolbag off. "I'll be going first. It might take a while for me to get out." Both nodded. "Wait for me." Shevat nodded again.

I opened the door and walked through. The Aiel did not try to stop me, only watching my every move.

* * *

"A very long time." 

As soon I entered, one of them came to be in front of me. I knew a little of what they were, but I didn't trust them. I kept my eyes staring straight at him.

"Do you abide by the treaties and agreements ? Do you carry iron, or instruments of music, or devices for making light ?"

I expected that question. "No"

"Then come."

The creature turned around and started leading me through a corridor. I followed, and tried not to pay attention to my surroundings. I knew that would be useless, and misleading nonetheless.

I also tried not to pay attention to how much time we were taking. I knew time was a bizarre thing here. I just focused my eyes on the creature leading me, willfully ignoring the human-leather belts he was wearing.

A certain time passed and then I found myself in front of eight of these creatures. My guide had vanished as fast as he had appeared.

"Speak," One of them said. I didn't try to find out which, but it sound somehow female. "By the ancient treaty, here is agreement made. What is your need ? Speak."

Now was the moment I feared the most. "First, what is the price of my needs ?"

I could feel their disappointment as I spoke those words. I held back, waiting for them to answer.

"What would you offer ?" That voice was male, I was sure.

I let out a breath I was holding. It might still go well. I reached in my bag, taking out a bundle that contained all schoolwork and my statistics schoolbook. "I offer these," I laid the bundle on the ground. "to pay the price. Books and knowledge from my home, for another time or world." I didn't know, for me, which was which.

'Please let it be enough !' I crossed my fingers behind my back.

"The price is paid. Now speak of what you need." A female said.

Tension flowed out of me like water. Now, whatever happened, I'd be able to walk out of this place alive and well. It might have looked like it, but I had feared for my life.

I focused back on what I had planned. These creatures were granting me three wishes. I was a munchkin. I knew how to handle wishes, and I had planned for these.

"I want..." I stopped. "I need to be a channeler as strong as the Dragon Reborn will ever be." I'd need that, to face the Forsaken.

"Done." One of the male said.

Good. That meant I could stay with my first plan. I had planned in case they couldn't grant me that wish, but it was better that way.

The second one, now. "I need to have all talents in relation to objects made of the power." That one I wanted because of the type of person I was. I was a builder, a creator, first. Building magical items was something I'd always wanted.

"Done." Female, this time.

Good. Only one left. The last, and an important one. That one I had no fear they would grant. It was something I knew they could give. "I need to have all knowledge concerning the one power from the Age of Legends."

"Done." A female one said.

"What was asked will be given." A man, now

"The price is paid." Female, that one.

They disappeared, and I found myself tumbling backwards towards the Redstone doorframe that was right behind me.

* * *

I hit the ground roughly, but didn't notice it. The second I had crossed the doorway, my wishes had been granted. And my head hurt. A lot.

It was like being hit from a hammer of memories, like I'd tried to download the Internet into my brain. It was like some had put a hose in my nose and was filling my brain with water.

I'd never wished to be back in my home world more than I had a that moment. I probably would have sold my soul for aspirin, right there.

With time, the pain faded slowly, and I started to realize the place and position I was in. I was on the ground, still in front of the doorframe. The ground was covered in tracks I had made with my face and elbows while I was gripped by the pain. I tasted dirt and rocks, which I spat out.

Shevat was talking beside me, but I couldn't understand anything more than jumbled words. "_Stop_ !" I cried, most voice containing part of the pain I was feeling.

He looked at me strangely, as if he didn't understand. I tried to rise, but that proved to empower my aching head and I found myself back on the ground, reeling.

The Aiel was still there, looking at me like I was something unexpected.

Shevat dragged me, alone, to sit below Avendesora. That helped.

The tranquility and peace helped calm my mind, and thirty minutes later I was able to think again.

"_Thanks_" I said. It came out different, though. It felt right and wrong at the same time.

"What ?"

It took an instant to realize what had happened. The Old Tongue. Blurs of memories surged in my head at these words, books and texts and conversations. I focused on the present, instead.

"Thanks." I said again, this time focusing on the word.

"Why ?"

"For bringing me here, under the _Tree of Life_." The word flowed easily. "It helped."

"What happened ?"

"I got what I wanted." I realized then that I could feel the source, distant but present. I resisted the curiosity of reaching for it. "I didn't expect the pain that came with it. All those memories, in my head." They were still flashing, but it was manageable, now. "I just could think for while."

"And what you said ? That was ?"

"The Old Tongue." I answered. "I have to focus sometimes not to speak it. It's part of what I got from them." I pointed at the doorframe.

I noticed then that Ghinla wasn't present. "Where did he" There was no need to tell him who I was talking about. "go ?"

"He left, on the second day. I made swear not to tell a soul about us."

"How ?"

"That peace thing you did ? I told him I'd tell everyone how he'd broken it. He had, right."

I only nodded. Then, something clicked. "Second day ?"

"It's been five days since you went in."

Ouch. Two days getting to the Portal Stone, five days using it, and five days in the door. The parade was probably over, by now. I'd have to get Logain out of the Tower then... Ouch. We would have to go, quick... But first, there was something I had to do.

"Your turn." I remove my schoolbag for my back. It would probably do.

"What ?" He didn't understand what I was talking about.

"Have you ever wished you had something, even if it was impossible. Wished the world was different ?" He nodded. "Then this is the time. You can go through this door and wish for anything you want .

"What should I wish for ?" I didn't like hearing that. I wasn't going to order him to wish for anything. It was his privilege, and a reward for his loyalty.

"Whatever you want. These wishes are your own. You could stop being a channeler, or be rich. Whatever you want." I grinned. "Inside the door..."

I explained to him everything I knew about the door. I made him leave the sword again, as he had picked it back, and made him toss his flint and torch. I told him about the bag, and how he might use it to pay the price.

It saw a weird sight, seeing Shevat vanishing inside the door, my bag on his back. I could only hope it would take him less time as it did for me.

Now, I had memories to sort.


	6. The freedom of Logain

Wheels upon Wheels

Chapter 6 : The freedom of Logain

Disclaimer : Wheel of Time belongs to Robert Jordan, and no one else. This story may not be used for profit by anybody, not even me.

* * *

It was barely a minute after Shevat left through the doorframe that I rose up, intent on my saddlebags. No wobbly legs... Good. My head still hurt, but I could ignore it. It was better under Avendesora, though. I'll return there before stating to channel, for sure. 

I took off my horse the few things for my world I had kept. Notepads and sheets of paper, with pens and pencils. I grabbed those and made my way back to where I was, under the Tree of Life.

I then passed an hour remembering and noting everything pertaining accessing the Source for men. I remembered how women did it, too, remembered doing it that way, but that would be useless for me now. I could only channel Saidin now.

I then retranscribed my notes in a more readable format. My notes tended to be jumbled things. I intended on using these notes to teach others, later.

Making these had another benefit. It made all my memories of reaching Saidin leap forward, to the forefront of my mind. At that point, my headache was barely a buzz in the back of my brain, and I had been waiting for that.

It had taken a lot of my willpower not to try to reach for the Source the second Shevat was gone, but my caution dictated that trying with a headache might be more than counterproductive. Now though...

I put in practice the mental exercices I had just written about, trying to empty myself the way male Aes Sedai were taught during the Age of Legends. It was difficult, but I eventually managed,and at the right time, the one I knew to be right. I reached for the Source.

I held it for a second, maybe, until I dropped it from shock. But that was enough.

Gods ! It felt... felt like... It was indescribable. I understood at that instant why those stilled died, the simple fact that I hadn't know that feeling before made the rest of my life seem empty. It was pleasure and strength and joy and energy and...

And the taint. I had something to described that. It flashed to me at that instant, straight from one of my favorite movies : 'crawled to freedom through five-hundred yards of shit smelling foulness I can't even imagine...' That felt right, even if barely. That was the taint.

The worst thing was that, even with that foul thing, I had to stab myself with my nails to kept me from trying again. I had never taken drugs, but I guessed that was how an addict felt. Knew how sick it was making him, yet couldn't wait for more, even if it killed him.

I did try again, though, as long as I could. I try till I could hold it inside, and not be swept away. As long as it took for me to be in total control. I shattered the void whenever I was getting out of control, emptying the power out of me into the air. The results were varied.

Sometimes the very air took fire for a instant, another a whirlwind cut up a few branches of _Avendesora_. I shook Rhuidean more than once, but in the end, I managed to get in control, still holding the source yet not overwhelmed. I just held it.

I hadn't thought of what to channel, and when I did a hundred memories assaulted me, wave after wave of weaves I remembered.

I had no choice but to sort through them, as half were female in nature. One struck out quickly.

_Cuendillar_.

It had been barely a thought, but it made memories of making heartstone surge in my mind, above all the others. Memories of making different kinds of the stuff. 'Different kinds ? I didn't know that.' It took me a while for me to notice that small differences in the weaves... I guessed they accounted for different colors.

I built the weave and used it many times. The first three failed, the stones I used crumbling to dust. It took me thirty minutes between each of those, to have control of the Source. The next one succeded as did all those that followed. It seemed that the capacity for power was similar to the talent : Like Rand, I only needed to do a weave once prefectly to repeat it perfectly afterwards. I was soon surrounded my cuendillar stones.

I then tried to twist that weave, to try for another color. It took two tries, but I added another color of heartstone to my repertoire.

I then ate and slept on my successes, as working the One Power had made me hungry and tired, and my last meal seemed years ago. I don't know how long I slept.

I woke up with Shevat still missing, and immediately got back to channeling pratice. I first cycled through all the colors of cuendillar before eating, then, during breakfast, started wondering.

Did I have the same strength as Rand, or was I different ? I had said 'as strong as the Dragon Reborn'. Tests had to be made.

And test I did, starting with the weaves I knew he used most. Traveling came easily, though I didn't go farther then the other side of the city, but Rand's second most used weave, Balefire, refused to form.

It wasn't that I didn't know how it was made. The War of Power in my mind gave me many exemples, most of them gruesome, but it just wouldn't form. Unexpected and potential disruptive, that.

I kept trying for more than an hour before giving up, having, on my last try, burned my hands. I'd have to use something else against the Forsaken. Bad, that.

And it wasn't the only weave I couldn't form that day. Most more than basic offensive weaves, like the lightning weave Rand would use in Tear or an attack weave from the Age of Legends called Blossoms of Fire, just refused to be. I could toss fireballs like I wanted, or lightning the same way, but difficultly any more than that.

I had dined and eaten supper while I was trying that, and, by the middle of the next day, found myself with no more weaves to test. It wasn't that I had tested everything I remembered. No. It was that most weaves needed something to test it on. Compulsion, Healing, Weather... There were a lot of weaves like that.

I had found out one of my strengths, though. Warding. I had memories of thousand of differents wards in my mind, and I could cast them better, bigger and faster than anything I remembered from the previous Age. They formed easily, as easily as did the weaves for cuendillar.

It was then I first turned towards the Ter'angreal field.

Rhuidean was a sanctuary for objects of the Power dating from the Second Age, as all those in the hands of the Aiel were here. I remembered making some of these : That chair was a binding chair, kind of like an oath rod for men. A few Angreals here and there. The redstone doorway, too. But others were alien to me, either because of memories I had forgotten, or because they had been made after the Sealing of the Bore.

I walked toward one of the ones I did not know about. And gasped as soon as I touched it. I knew, twirling the specified bracelet in my hand, what it did. A compulsion, making one who would wear it unable to do violence. It was like I could feel the weave inside the material.

That must have been one of the talents I received from my bargain with the foxes. I glanced at the doorway. Shevat was still inside.

Focusing on the bracelet, I realized that I probaly would be able to replicate this Ter'angreal easily. I channeled Earth on a whim, making a crude bracelet out of the stones on the ground, then twisted it, imprinting the weave inside the material. Done.

I looked back at the original to realize I had made a mistake. A simple bad strand. I could probably fix that.

I twisted again, trying to realign the weave correctly. It just... Unfolded, in my hands. The stone bracelet fell into many pieces, at my feet. Oops.

My second try was more succesful. I donned my newly-made bracelet, and test it, to find it did exactly what I had seen : I was unable to cut up my skin with a knife. It aslo did something I had hadn't realized : I was unable to remove it.

I now realized the different twist of the weave inside, an extra compulsion against removal. I tried pushing, pulling... My hand would lose all it's strength as soon as I thought about removing it.

I ended up having to do the same thing as I did with the flawed bracelet. I twisted the weave it contained, using the power, and it crumbled like the preceding one. A waste, but that knowledge might be useful, one day.

I continued making Ter'angreal, specifically compulsion related ones. I'd need a way to find out liars, if I wanted to hunt the Black Ajah.

I was still making ter'angreals when Shevat came out. He didn't fly out like me but walked out of his own power. And his walk... It was different, smother, more fluid.

He quickly noticed my presence and sat down beside me. He had a smile of his face, and seemed more relaxed than I ever seen him.

I released the source.

"Thanks." Thanks for... Oh, ok.

"No problem." He gave me a weird look, at which time I realized that he hadn't understood what I meant by that. "I mean, glad you got what you wanted."

"You want to know ?"

"If you want to tell." I was burning with curiosity, though

"First," he smiled, rising, "The skill with the blade of the greatest swordmaster." He then flowed from stance to stance, with a fluiditiy I envied. It was a dance, all right.

"Second," he stopped, and a minute later Saidin was in his grasp. I could tell. "A way to cure the effects of the taint." The weave he spun, right in front of me, was a tapestry of intricate difficulty in three dimensions. I sat unmoving as he laid it on me.

The effect were subtle, but I noticed them. Like a soapy rag cleaning the soul, the effects of my recent channeling, that foul taste lingering, was gone. I looked at him, eyes wide, unbelieving.

"Third, " His smile was more pronounced, now, "I cannot be cut from the the source."

"No way." There was a limit to what I could believe.

His smile became a smirk. "Go ahead. Try." He had noticed I held the Source before, then.

I did, taking a minute to reach the source, then pooling all the power I know I could handle and sending it, like an axe, at his link to the source.

An inch from his link, my axe of Power dissolved on his own. I knew I was more powerful than Shevat, even if I didn't know by how much. He could probably beat me, now.

"Seems you got a good deal, too." I realized, also, why he seemed more relaxed. A way against the taint, a way against stilling, and something against warriors or soldiers. He was a powerhouse, now. And I hadn't even started teaching him !

"And you ?"

Truth deserves truth, so I explained everything I knew from what I got in the doorframe. I showed him a few weaves, mainly the most used ones, like binding with air and shielding. I ended up by handing his one of the ter'angreal I had just made. It was a variation on the bracelet, except that it forced the wearer to answer fully and truthfully all questions demanded. And, unlike the original ter'angreal, this one could be removed, but only by the person who had put it.

I also demonstrated my ability at destroying ter'angreals, breaking one of my prototypes (one of the tries at a different compulsion) right before his eyes.

We then ate supper, with me discussing our plans. Hopefully Logain would not be in Tar Valon yet, else it would be a very bloody battle getting in. Shevat mostly listened, only adding a few words here and there.

As soon as we were packed, though, I opened a doorway, one we could use to skim to Caemlyn.

Shevat was surprised at the hole in the air. He had seen the weave, though. "What in the Creator's name is that ?"

"A shortcut." I simply answered, leading my horse through. The former thief, to his credit, wasted no time in following.

* * *

We stepped out a short while later in the burned-out alley, site of our battle against the Andorian Thief Guild. It was the only place in Caemlyn I could thing as being empty, and where we could step out with being seen. There were signs of more recent use, though. 

I let a stunned Shevat lead me back to the White Queen. Once we steeped out of the alleyways, I quickly realized I had miscalculated.

The streets were packed to the brim with people, so much that some even ventured in the alleys to have some space. Everyone with a weapon had it covered with a a piece of cloth of some kind. Most were white, but some red was apparent.

I knew what it meant on the spot : the parade hadn't happened yet. A few words with the innkeeper, once we were back in his inn, confirmed it : Logain was coming to town tomorrow.

Shevat and I ended up having the inn's private sitting room for a chamber, as everything else was full to the brim. It even cost me a pretty penny. It did allow us peace, so to speak.

"So, how do we go at this ?" Shevat asked as soon as the diner was had asked for was finished.

"About Logain ?"

"Yes."

I thought a short while, looking for the best time to strike. "Probably the day after the parade, at night. We'll go in, grab him, and leave through a gateway."

"A thing like the one we used to come back to Caemlyn ?" he sounded eager.

"Yeah."

"Could you teach that to me ?"

"Sure." I grabbed the Source (Only took a few seconds this time.) and opened a gateway to a place were I could use Saidin with any possible interruption. It was at one of the Portal Stones where we stayed a night, that one bordered by a river. To the east were the high peaks of the Spine of the Dragon.

We stayed there a few hours, during which I taught to Shevat everything that might be useful in the coming days. Traveling he picked up quickly, as he did healing. In that domain, he outshone my meager talent by large. I gave his the sheets of paer containing my notes on grabbing the source, and we returned in Caemlyn in time for a good night's sleep.

* * *

The next day found me in the streets of Caemlyn, waiting with the population for the parade. I would need to be able to recognize Logain, after all. 

I stood on a barrel, peering over the crowds, when the Aes Sedai started to appear. I disliked most of them on the spot. Most were strutting, riding along as if the attention they had was owed to them. Like a parade like this one was the least the world could do for them. Despicable.

Some didn't look that bad, though. Some stared ahead like the parade was something annoying, which I could understand since it was awfully loud. Some glanced at Logain out of the corners of their eyes, wary.

And Logain. I remembered the books saying he looked like a king. It was something like that. It was as if he wasn't defeated, as if the parade was in his honor as much as else.

He was wary, too. Even more than the Aes Sedai. So wary that, if you'd have given him one of those color-shifting cloaks, you'd have believed he was a warder even in that cage.

Logain suddenly turned his head, and then started laughing. And not any kind of laughter, Jinnai-type laughter. Laughter like your ennemy had just given you the victory while trying the exact opposite.

I looked the same way he did, peering at the crowds, until my eyes rested on a man sitting atop a wall.

Rand Al'thor.

Shit.

I knew his description very well because of the books, but even with I would have know it was him. At the moment I saw him, it was as if a hook got caught in my soul, with a steel wire leading back to him. Ta'veren pulling Ta'veren. I had forgotten about his presence altogether.

He fell from the wall, but I barely glanced in his direction, ducking in the first alleyway I could find and Traveling to our training ground. I was raging inside.

Even there, I could still feel the binding between him and me. He surely hadn't noticed, but I had.

I grabbed the Source and hurled the biggest fireball I could, simply out of rage. I had planned everything I could, and now the biggest wrench had put all my plans in doubt.

It was a few hours before I returned to Caemlyn. Most of them I had spent destroying and restoring the countryside, but I managed to squeeze enough tests of Weather weaves to realize I was useless in that domain. I was still angry when I reached the inn room Shevat and I shared, but it was a cold anger now.

Shevat noticed it, and immediately asked questions, though mainly about the plan. I told him the plan when on, and that was that.

We both went to sleep late in the night, or early in the morning as it was. Preparations for the following day. I spent the time before bed building a new type of ter'angreal, one that kept a person from the Source, while Shevat seemed to be calming himself through the sword.

Thing were not going well

* * *

The only we both did alfter rising up the day after the parade was continue as we had been doing. I had three bracelets that would cut someone from the source, all unable to be removed by other than the hand that put them. Shevat was flowing through his forms.

We left the inn after most people were asleep. Everything we owned I had already moved to our training ground. We had decided that was going to be the place we would use as a base.

The Aes Sedai camp was a few miles out of Caemlyn, and it was well and truely midnight when we arrived. I weaved illusion on both of us, and we looked like members of the Tower Guards. That was how we walked in plain sight, yet unstopped.

The tent that held Logain was easy to spot. It was the most guarded one. Four warders stood in front, all like springs ready to jump. I weaved compulsion, four times, and these men were now oblivious to whoever would come close to them.

I nodded to Shevat and we both prepared shields, each of us handling three. If there were more those would be Shevat's to take care of, as would be our escape gate.

We stepped in between the warders and they didn't bat an eye. Good. We then stepped inside the tent.

Six Aes Sedai were sitting on benches, each of them stuck in his own thoughts. they didn't have time to blink before the shield were in place.

And then it all went to hell.

A loud bellow sounded, and the warders guarding the tent dashed inside. Luckily for us the warders were still under complusion and we were still invisible to them. The Aes sedai that followed wasn't, though.

I tied my shields instinctually (I was the first time I had done so) and slapped a shield on the newly-arrived Aes Sedai. A red, I think. Shevat, on his side, was trying to shake Logain awake.

"Doorway, quick !" I could see quite a few Aes Sedai outside, and if they linked, we were doomed.

The very air sliced, and a hole grew out of that slice. Shevat tossed a barely-awake Logain through the hole with Wind. I followed right after lifting walls of earth around the tent, just to buy us some time. Realizing I had forgotten something, I turned around, only the witness the portal closing behind Shevat. Damn.

Logain was awake now, and reaching for the source. I slapped a shield on him so fast even I was surprised, and bound him with Air.

"Now, you listen to me, Logain Ablar." I said, staring with anger at his face. He paled. I supposed I shouldn't be passing my anger at myself on him, but that was beyond me at that moment. "You're gonna sit here and hear us out, or I'll be skinning you alive."


End file.
